Stranded

Chapter 5 : Sick

Chapter 5

Later...    

Ross POV

I was still roasting the fish over the fire. It felt like it was taking forever to cook. Maybe it's because our fire is small and not very hot.

A little while ago, Riker started feeling really sick. He got up and went a few feet away and threw up a bunch of times. It was just water. But I was worried about him.

"How are you feeling?" I asked, when he came and sat back down next to me.

"Nauseous."

"Do you know what made you sick?"

"No... My only guess is the water. When I drank it before we realized we could filter it. How do you feel? You drank it too."

"I don't feel anything yet. Do you think the fish is almost done?"

"I honestly have no idea."

"I'll cook it a little longer and then we'll cut it open."

"Ok."

I was getting really bored of holding the fish over the fire. And then I started feeling sick.

"Riker."

"What?"

"I think it was the water."

"Why?"

"I don't feel well now."

I handed him the stick with the fish on it and stood up. I walked over to the edge of the woods. And then I started throwing up, just like Riker.

Why hasn't someone come to rescue us? We're stuck out here by ourselves, getting sick from the water now.

I went back over and sat down next to Riker when I was finished.

"I think the fish is done," Riker said.

"Good. Can you cut it up or whatever? I still feel kind of sick."

"Yeah."

Riker got a flat rock and put the fish down on it. He cut it in half. Neither of us knows how to cut it like the professionals do to be able to get the bones out. So we're just going to have to pick the bones out ourselves. But at least we had food.

Eating the fish actually made me feel a lot better. I'm just hoping I don't throw up the only food we just caught.

"Riker, I'm going to go lay down for a bit, ok?"

"I think maybe I'm going to lay down too."

We both crawled into our tent and got in our sleeping bags.

"Do you think it's bad that we got sick from the water, or do you think we're ok?" I asked.

"I think we just need to make sure we drink a lot of water so we don't get dehydrated. But I think we'll be ok. I think it's just like having a stomach bug. Hopefully we'll be feeling better by tomorrow."

Riker moved closer to me and buried his face in my side again.

"Are you ok?" I asked.

"My stomach just really hurts."

"Are you still nauseous?"

"No. Not really. Does your stomach hurt?"

"No. But you drank a lot more water from the stream than I did."

"Wake me up if rescue comes."

"Ok."

Later...

Ross POV

Riker said he had to go to the bathroom, but he hasn't come back. And it's been a while. And I'm getting really worried about him. He drank a lot of contaminated water.

I'm feeling a lot better now. But I guess he's not.

Finally he came back and laid down beside me again.

"Are you ok?" I asked.

"No," he mumbled.

"Is it your stomach?"

"Yeah."

He curled up next to me with his arms around his stomach.

"It's getting close to dinner time. I think maybe we should try for another fish. And go fill up our water bottles. You can't get dehydrated, Riker. If you're getting sick from the water, you're losing a lot of water."

"I just really don't feel well."

I got his bottle of water and made him sit up.

"Drink this," I said, handing it to him.

He drank a few sips.

"More. All of it."

"Ross-"

"We can't just go to the doctor if something bad happens. You need to stay hydrated. I'm not letting something happen to you. I can't do this without you, Riker."

"Ok."

He drank the rest of his water.

"I'm going to filter some more water for us and see if I can catch another fish, ok?"

"Do I need to come?"

"No. I think you should stay here and rest."

"Ok. Just stay safe, ok?"

"I will."

"And don't fall in the stream again."

"I'll try not to. And if you start feeling really sick, please come tell me. I don't want anything to happen to you, ok?"

"Ok."

I took our water bottles and one of the sticks with fishing line, and walked back to the stream.

I was starting to wonder if our pilot crashed on his way back. And then never made it to the airport to tell someone we were out there.

I haven't heard any planes all day. What if no one knows we're out here!?

Wait. I need to calm down. Dad knows we were supposed to land yesterday. So he'll figure something out. I hope.